Small plane crashes in Goleta, California; 2 seriously injured

A small plane crashed near a freeway in Southern California, seriously injuring both people on board, according to officials.

Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies responded on Wednesday afternoon to reports of a small plane crash near Highway 101 between Los Carneros and Storke in Goleta, according to spokesperson Raquel Zick.

Both occupants of the private plane were rescued with serious injuries and transported via ground ambulance to a hospital, said the County of Santa Barbara Fire Department.

The aircraft, a Cirrus SR22, crashed near Santa Barbara Municipal Airport in Goleta at 2:15 p.m., according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which added that the federal agency will investigate the crash.

When first responders arrived, the aircraft was on fire, and the flames had spread to nearby vegetation. Forward progress of the spot fire was stopped at around 2:39 p.m.

A video shared on social media showed a deputy and possible bystanders after pulling one of the plane’s occupants to safety, with the burning aircraft visible in the background. The cause of the crash and the identities of those on board are currently unknown.